Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau

Acadia Amazes Again

Friday August 2 & Saturday August 3, 2013Acadia National Park

FRIDAY

Today is Mid Summer. It’s half way between Summer Solstice and Fall Equinox. Only half of the summer is left. These are the days usually known as the dog days although I don’t know why unless it’s because the dogs lay around on cool tile floors with their tongues hanging out. But for us this day is cool and rainy. We have errands planned.

Rain is predicted for all day long. It has rained all night and it is still raining when we wake up. David drives to Bangor for his monthly blood work. He does this every month wherever we are and sends the results to his doctors at Moffitt in Florida for review. It will be 10 days before we hear back about whether anything has changed in his remission status. We have our fingers permanently crossed.

After the blood work, he stops in Ellsworth to pick up two rear tires for Ruby. She’s been making some noise and it appears to be because of the cupping particularly of the right rear tire. So the tires need to be replaced. But it turns out the her trouble isn’t just tires but a left front wheel bearing. Total hit to the wallet $380. OUCH!

While he’s gone I do the bill paying, check the accounts, clean the rig, make a new batch of hummus, clean the refrig and all those onerous household chores. At one point I look up and see Santa and Ms. Claus. They remind me to take out the trash. I spend a good part of the afternoon on a list of paddles/hikes/bikes, a yet to do list. We are down to a little more than two weeks left in our 6 week stay here. It doesn’t seem possible. There is still so much more to see and do. A place of endless fascination.

I make up a plan for tomorrow, weather permitting.

It does rain all day long and is still raining when David gets home.

SATURDAY

We wake up to pretty serious fog. We can’t even see the bath house. Rain is predicted for early afternoon. Sure looks like an accurate forecast. But we think perhaps we can get out to hike the Jordan Stream Trail so we pack up and head out.

It is a very foggy drive and we go slowly but I sure am glad we didn’t listen to the weatherman and stay home in anticipation of another rainy day.

We arrive at the Jordan Pond House Trails Parking around 8am. There aren’t many hikers out yet so there are still plenty of spaces.

The Jordan Stream trail head is out behind Jordan Pond House so we get another look at The Bubbles which we saw up close yesterday.

We may also get pictures of 4 more carriage road bridges today if the rain holds off. This is one of them, although we’ve seen it before. It was built in 1920 and is just below Jordan Pond.

The water from Jordan Pond runs here under the bridge.

And comes out here becoming Jordan Stream

We start out with the stream babbling along on our right.

We follow it all along the way. This is like my dream hike.

It’s just so merry as it splashes down the rocks. It makes me happy just to walk along beside it.

We cross back and forth many times on interesting bridges. I just cannot get over how much care the builders of roads and bridges take in this park to insure their structures blend into and do not disturb the natural landscape.

There are no pins, nails or rebar securing these rails to the rocks. they just fit like a glove.

David can’t get over it either.

I’m not making too much progress stopping for all these gorgeous photographs. How can I help myself. So beautiful!

There are other interesting things on the trail of course. Like this. Any idea how it happened? It looks like it exploded out or something.

At points along the stream the trail becomes a root path among the ferns. There are beautiful cedar trees along the trail. We don’t exactly understand how their red bark is so exposed and perhaps if everything weren’t so wet from the rain all day yesterday and the moisture this morning, we would not have noticed it. But today this hike is so beautiful that it demands a slow pace in order to fully take in everything around us.

There seems no end of beauty on this trail. The mushrooms, toadstools and other moisture loving growths are popping up everywhere. Look at this log that has fallen across the stream.Who dreams up these things? And what are they? Does crayola have a color name for this?

I am flabbergasted by the color and size of these things. I am laughing out loud at the fun of it.

I have picked the perfect day for this trail. Everything is so green and so lush after yesterday’s rain.

Bright colors are popping up on the forest floor everywhere we look.

It’s another Acadia wonderland. We’re thinking they made a mistake in changing the name of Bar Harbor from its original Eden. Actually the entire island should be called Eden rather than Mount Desert.

This is the trail on roots right next to the stream.

We move to rocks right next to the stream.

And then rocks pretty much in the stream.

There is so much beauty all around us that we forget to look up but the edging stones of the carriage road catch my eye. They mean another highlight of this hike is just ahead.

We’ve come to the first Carriage Road built and the only one made of cobblestones. I need another word for amazing! To approach it for the first time from below, from along the stream is perfect!

In 1917, this was the first carriage road bridge built. It is cobbled on every side including underneath.

We look at the front, the back, underneath and above. It is incredible.

This day was one of those spectacular 10+ days and is clearly too much for one post. But the stream goes on and there are more bridges and more surprises on this just super hike. But that will have to wait for Part II in another post. It’s WAY past my bed time.

The rain really brought out the little and lush. Love the slug on the shroom. I'll be some of those are edible. That cobble bridge is "amazing". Don't think there are masons like those builders around any more.

What a beautiful hike. Isn't it amazing, the beauty that lays beyond our reach on the next hike. I generally haven't researched the hikes so find each of the wonderful and surprising. Your pictures were wonderful!

What an AMAZING hike...can't wait for part two!!! We hiked a gorge and rim trail yesterday and heardthe bubbling water, but the views just don't compare to Acadia.

Sorry about the tire and wheel bearing. We just replace one wheel bearing before we headed to Acadia. We also have constant crossed fingers and toes for David. He sure looks wonderful and his stamina is amazing:o))

The rain is probably what makes Maine so lush... thus is necessary. Love the beautiful stone bridges and the bubbling streams. We too always have our fingers permanently crossed for David's continued remission. Just seeing the photos of him hiking and enjoying life make us smile.... he's been through a lot. Pesky wheel bearings... we too had to have one replaced last year. Doesn't seem to happen often fortunately. Loved your bike travels too. When Olivia was visiting recently we did some biking in our beautiful local historic park downtown. Keep those hiking boots busy!

Looks very much like the Pacific Northwest. Loved this hike, too. Having followd you through David's very difficult days, it really is wonderful to see him (and you) living every moment of life to its fullest. You are a great example of how to face crisis head on and stay the course back to a life full of joy. Everyone can learn from the two of you.

Another great hike! I love the lush greenery, the bubbling water and the mushrooms - nature really is incredible. I'm so glad you didn't chicken out on account of the predicted rain!! All the bridges you've found around Maine are impressive - each unique and they look so well constructed. By the way, Dad's outfit blends in quite well with the natural landscape just like the trail maintenance - lol ;)